It is an honour for Canada to host the 2024 OECD Global Roundtable on Equal Access to Justice, in collaboration with the International Development Research Centre. I welcome the OECD’s challenge for us all to respond with greater ambition to the call for justice systems to be more responsive, more inclusive and more people focused. Discussions at the Global Roundtables have inspired a body of important international work to advance access to justice and Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 of the UN 2030 Agenda.
This year’s Roundtable will provide a valuable opportunity for exchanges on the role of justice in strengthening democracies and building inclusive societies through the exchange of good practices and lessons learned among key partners internationally. With the benefit of these roundtables and many years of research and work, discussions will address how the justice sector can respond to global challenges, offer innovative strategies for the prevention of justice problems, and enhance the measurement of access to justice and implement inclusive justice strategies. Concerted and collaborative efforts to fulfil SDG 16, and its commitment to the rule of law and equal access to justice for all will serve to reinforce democracy and build public trust. And these efforts have helped advance our understanding of the role of justice and the rule of law to amplify the achievement of all 17 SDGs.
The Government of Canada continues its commitment to improving equal access to justice and its commitment to put individual considerations at the heart of justice systems, and advances equality, legal empowerment, and a better understanding of the legal needs of individuals and communities.
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